Pregame Notes: Bryan Ramos’ first major league start

ST. LOUIS -- Happy Bryan Ramos Day!

The rookie third baseman is batting seventh on Sunday for his first major league start, which doesn't guarantee him a look at lefty Cardinals opener Matthew Liberatore, but supposedly is kicking off a week or so of sustained action at the major league level.

"He’ll play a lot, he’ll play a lot," said Pedro Grifol. "He’s playing today. He'll play a lot. We'll see how he looks. Here’s here to play. He's one of our better prospects in the organization. He’s in the big leagues, he’s not coming here to sit."

So again, Ramos is playing.

Grifol had a small critique of Ramos' defensive play in Saturday's 10th inning, stating that the 22-year-old would have done well to run down Paul Goldschmidt for a step or two, but said that one of the main fundamentals of that play is to direct it back to third base and away from home. Korey Lee reacting instantly to block the ball and keep the game going, also was a target for praise. Lee's playing time should see some steady growth in the coming weeks.

"The perfect outcome is to get an out," Grifol said. "The second best outcome is to get him back to third base. The third outcome is he scores. He went back to third, it stayed the same, bases loaded and we were able to get out of it. If he catches the ball, looks at him, realizes right away where he was, he probably would tell you eight out of 10 times I’m running him, get him go hard and then give it up to the catcher."

The White Sox have exhausted everyone's patience over the years with hearing about makeup and clubhouse presence. That said, Ramos' makeup as someone who rapidly learned English in their organization, made friends with American teammates outside of his immediate social circle, and handled consistent assignment against older competition with aplomb is constantly lauded. And inevitably, it's part of why rocketing him up to the majors for a brief look is viewed as something Ramos will handle well.

"He’s a really, really good kid," said player development director Paul Janish. "I use the phrase he’s a really good human. From a character, from a makeup standpoint, that’s something we’re promoting."

-- Dominic Leone was working out and played catch Sunday, after leaving Saturday's game with lower back tightness. It's always nice when a player who is initially reported as day-to-day actually is better the next day. If pitching in the majors was easy as whipping a medicine ball into a door, then Leone looked ready to dominate Sunday morning.

-- If you noticed Nicky Lopez ambling around in discomfort a bit the past few days, you can believe your lying eyes.

"He’s been a little sore with his adductor," Grifol said. "But Nicky is a gamer.  I gave him off today, but I’ve seen him play with all types of stuff. He never wants out of the lineup, he plays with pain, through pain. Nicky, I chose to give him a day off. It was my choice, not his. Want to make sure we calm that down a little bit and get him back to 100 percent."

-- After years of catching a Houston pitching staff filled with riding four-seam fastballs thrown at the top of the zone, it's a bit of a switch for Martín Maldonado to handle a White Sox rotation heavy on sinkerballers. He's been operating out of a one-knee stance more often to give himself a better chance at framing low pitches, but is still adjusting to it.

"There are still things I can get better at," Maldonado said. "I'm still getting comfortable blocking the ball like that from that position. It's a matter of getting used to it and working hard." 

First Pitch: White Sox at Cardinals

TV: NBC Sports Chicago

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